Unofficial news and tips about Google

November 7, 2007

Live.com Email Accounts

Microsoft finally allows people to create @live.com email accounts, now that most of the Windows Live applications are out of beta. Because there aren't too many registered accounts and you can create accounts at many international domains, it's likely you'll find a good email address.

An interesting new features lets you link a main Windows Live account with other secondary accounts and use a single login to access all your accounts. At the top of the page, next to your email address, there's an arrow that hides a list of your linked accounts.

Windows Live IDs are the key that unlocks many web applications from Microsoft and you can get one when you install the Windows Live suite, a Google Pack without third-party software. As we could see in the previous article about Windows Live, Microsoft's strategy is to deliver a unified package that combines its best software with its online extensions. Microsoft pitches it as a Windows upgrade and a simple link from Vista or from Windows Update is enough to capture a big audience. "With Windows Live, you'll get software and services that make what you can do on your PC and the Web just that much more amazing. Think of it as the power of Windows combined with the limitless possibility of the Internet." (my emphasis) That's probably the reason why some web apps from Microsoft work better in Internet Explorer: they're not supposed to work optimally on any platform and any browser, their purpose is to enhance the default Windows experience.

I think I finally understand Microsoft's vision for "Windows Live": using its position in the OS market to promote software and web application that extend Windows' capabilities and work together. All the apps could be installed in a package that will distributed as an upgrade for Outlook Express, MSN Messenger, via Windows Update or through some partners.

Windows Live is some sort of Windows Plus, Windows Extra, a free bonus that makes your operating system alive and brings all the software you'll ever need.

I don't use Hotmail, Live Spaces, Live Messenger, but just because an application was developed by Microsoft you shouldn't automatically consider it bad. Windows Live Writer is a very good blog editor, the toolbar has a cool plug-in for collecting notes and they have a lot of good software for synchronizing files.

Before I start, yes - I'm a bit of a geek. But that's why we're here, right? Right?

I was a great fan of Windows Live when it first arrived on the scene - it appeared to have a lot of promise. I participated in as many betas as possible (Messenger, (Hot)mail, Favourites, live.com and so on). I liked their motto "Bringing your online world together" - I started to realise the benefits of keeping things in the cloud: universal access, wherever I happen to be. After a while, however, it started to become clear that direction was lost from all the fragmented pieces.

So this, coupled with my previous enthusiasm for Google's products, made me decide to migrate back to a system that allowed me to customise my experience, and not hide my data and lock me into walled gardens. And they shared my vision of storing information in cloud and making it useful. And they didn't discriminate me for using a standards compliant browser (Firefox) :). My Gmail account had survived my Windows Live period, and was the starting point of my reinstatement in Google.

So basically, I'm pretty much fully migrated back to Google - only Messenger remains of Windows Live, mainly because everyone I know is on there. I use Meebo for that to keep it cloud-based. The day Google adds Windows Live to its Gmail-integrated chat feature is the day I switch.Only one product is giving me any doubts at the moment: maps. Google wins on relevance any day, but the UI is so clunky and slow - aspecially the My Maps, Windows Live's recent update is starting to become very attractive.

So the message to Google here is stick with your current independant open ways, but don't let your products stage stagnate.

@KenBW2:Marissa Mayer from Google mentioned recently that Google Maps added a lot of features and it really needs a new interface. Basically, the interface didn't change too much from 2005, when Google Maps was launched.

I've been keeping tabs on the various free MS offerings using my original "hotmail" ID which I'd never want to use publicly because it sounds too much like a porn site.

So I'll switch to "live" just to get rid of that horrible name.

MS does give you a gig of storage to use however you wish. And you can share that space with others. With a 50M limit per file that is at least a bit more than you can just e-mail to another user, so it's handy for that.

Other than that I don't see any advantages over Google. They try and lock you into their walled garden, no pop, no imap, etc. I can't imagine anyone who has used both going with MS.

Living in the UK, I tried changing the language to 'en-us' in the address bar to have the option of 'live.com', instead of live.co.uk'. However, all goes well until the final step when I get an error message, saying it's a temporary error. Anybody know how to get a live.com address from the UK?

I used to get these errors too and none of the solution on the internet worked, except using a proxy. Unfortunately, even with using a proxy, the https POST method was not allowed... so in effect i just could not sign up. But here is my solution that has worked for me everytime since then:

1. Download toonel from www.toonel.net It is a free proxy / compression service that comes as a single JAR file. If you have JRE installed, just double click it and the small application would run.2. Open Internet Explorer. Yes, internet explorer :) Delete ALL cache, cookies, history etc. Goto tools>options>connections>Lan settings and set ur proxy server to 127.0.0.1 and port to 8080.3. Make sure toonel is running! 4. Now goto hotmail.com Yes, no special links required... just plain hotmail.com and click on "sign up". This will use the toonel proxy service (based in germany) to transfer your data and it'd appear to live.com servers as if you're signing-up from germany and will not give an error.5. If prompted by a comparison chart of "Windows Live Hotmail" and "Windows Live services (including Hotmail)", just select "windows live hotmail - get it". You can always download the installer for services later. 6. Fill out the sign-up form and you're DONE! No error!7. Close toonel. Disable your LAN proxy Settings.8. Enjoy your new windows live id!

I even used Help (God only knows how that got me where I wanted) to get to the "converter" page. Though is it just me, or .co.uk not work? I have a hotmail.co.uk account, obviously because I live in UK and therefore forced into it, how can -I- get a live.com (is there such thing as live.co.uk?) account? Please email me socialengineer@hotmail.co.uk if you know, the odds of me ever getting back here again are minimal. Mostly because of my memory.

Google's G-mail looks like trash. The logo used for the service looks like shit; and to be quite honest with you all, I still don't understand why in the hell anyone would need to have 'open clouds' for shit? It's fucking' email!

#1. (your name)@live.com

- IMO it looks WAY nicer than @Gmail.com; plus you CAN setup forwarding if you download the Windows Live Mail application, which is FUCKING amazing.

#2. Vista integrated.

For Vista bashers, go buy an apple and shove it up your ass (don't forget the stem). The programs are not only integrated on-line with any Microsoft service, but also throughout programs on your computer! Vista's eye-candy makes this program look better than any web-based email service could look like.

Basically - G-mail is for people who can't click the Delete button when they get pointless emails that make them feel important. So google gave them more space to save crap. Gmailers are those people who have shit 5 miles high in their house and have attachment issues.

Live mail looks nicer, works better, and IMO is the best central hub for checking all your email accounts (as it has the ability to receive from other IMAM and Pop-based accounts).

Lets remember its an EMAIL program guys. Just because I use live mail doesn't mean I enjoy using Live Search engine or even MSN messenger. It gives you the option to install all those extras anyways.

@Steg0084:That's your opinion, but you make so many mistakes that's probably useless to bring counterarguments.

<<G-mail is for people who can't click the Delete button when they get pointless emails that make them feel important. >>

It sure was better back in the Hotmail days when you only had 2 MB per account.

<<... plus you CAN setup forwarding if you download the Windows Live Mail application. >>

That's great, but what if I want to use Thunderbird or any other email client? What if I use Mac, Linux or a mobile phone? A company shouldn't force you to use their products and should respect your choices.

<<Live mail looks nicer, works better, and IMO is the best central hub for checking all your email accounts >>

It's also great that once your email is locked inside Hotmail you can't move it to any other non-Hotmail account. Definitely a smart choice!

@Riz:It works here (and next time don't post long links or add signatures).

Unbelievable.I live in Canada and for the past few days I was trying to get @LIVE.CA!!! account, but it only gave me the .com option.After reading this site and it told me to change the address bar, it actually helped a lot.

If it wasn't for google .. hotmail would STILL allow users only a 2MB attachment and you would still have to pay to use POP - that's before Windows-Live ..

There had to be someone like Google that gave people 5 gigs and 20 MB attachments and POP and forwarding etc etc -for-free- .. for Ms to try to catch up. Also, you still cannot use @live with Outlook (not express), while Gmail works great IN CELL-PHONES (!), OUTLOOK, OUTLOOK EXPRESS, LIVE, everything.

:P and sure Ms Live email looks great (the web-based) .. if you like banners with advertising on the top .. G has no banner on top.

I do have @hotmail, @msn, @live, and @gmail of course and use most of them .. i have nothing against msn (the emails at least) and think that competition makes everyone better. And who knows, maybe one day msn-emails will be almost as good as gmail is today. lol.

Reading some of the comments about Mac and Google here it's pretty obvious what the mentality and maturity of the person behind that blog is - so like ionut alex said before, there is no point in bringing counterarguments.

I agree with the others that say @live.com has become the preferred tool of the identity theft criminals. Yet Microsoft refuses to do the responsible thing and support an "abuse@live.com" address.? They must be either lazy, clueless, incompetent, a willing accomplice in this crime, or all of the above.

I just received the following:...Unfortunately, in order to process your request, Hotmail Support needs a validWindows Live Hotmail hosted account.

We can help you best when you forward the spam/abusive mail as an attachment tous. The attachment should have full headers / message routing informationdisplayed. This means that the complete “From” address of the offending messageshould be displayed. If you need help to do this, please visit the followingwebsite:...

The "Reply-To:" was a live.com address; the "From:" was garbage.

My life would be easier, of course, if the various email programs out there would allow me to send mark all mail with a "Reply-To:" of *@live.com as junk. They all seem to filter based on "From:"

Comments? Reply to justjosephhere@gmail.com. MSN Live and Hotmail ARE the preferred "home(s)" for Scammer/Phisher wanna-be criminals! My "scambaiting" pastime has resulted in many exchanges with low-lifes at these services. For less serious contacts I also maintain Hotmail and Yahoo accounts. Hotmail is a new account, so it is not being "hit" very often (yet?) by Spammers. Their filters seem to work 70% of the time. The Yahoo account is another story though. My Yahoo "inbox" always contains more Spam from junk-ads and Scammers and Phishers than it does "legit" e-mails. Reporting Spam as Spam does not a thing, as the very same sender is again able to reach the inbox days (even weeks) later using the-same-handle@the-same-address. Is Yahoo really trying? Seemingly, "no". Either they are really busy or care little. I have reported specific senders for phishing to them - ones using their service to conduct their criminal actions. Eventually, the address is closed, sometimes. But they are easier to reach than is MSN Live. I scan my "spam" folders in case something gets mis-directed. Google seldom errs! Their Spam Filter is probably 95%+ accurate. Gmail is the way-to-go! Google is really the beat I've used, whether it be a "free-mail" or subscription service. All the features are very interesting (I don't use them all) and some are useful and Very Usable! Yes, I agree, Google Maps is good, but on an older computer one could "take a nap" while pages load! With all the developments we are seeing in general, a better User Interface will appear someday. (or I'll get a speedier Notebook and not care) I've rambled off-theme... "abuse@live.com" (& others) needs be VERY much more responsive, to be taken seriously. Perhaps immediate "dropping" of accounts reported (with supporting documentation) as Scamming or Phishing should be a higher priority. Oh, I forgot, they would have to care first, would they not?!!? Thanks for your time, Joseph

Hi, there.When I was creating a windows live.com account, I thnk that I did a mistake. and right now I cant use live.com and agajate@hotmail.com.I would like to keep using them. I forgot the password. You can send me an answer at alvarogajate@yahoo.com or alvarogajate4617@comcast.net.Thanks a lot.

Part of the problems experienced by the "posters" above are due to not knowing where to appropriately "complain" or specifically how to report an issue. Bluntly put, "Quit whining and start COMPLAINING." I mean that to be positive, empowering, constructive, affirative, and funny. (& pun-ny too)

Go to the websites I have listed below. Read the introductions. (perhaps the instructions also) You will then have answers to many of the questions asked above. You will also have tools at your disposal to use appropriately and effectively in the SpamWars.

It does seem to be a battle. Spam is robbing us all of bandwidth and time, whether you think so or not. It is "inviting" Government intrusion into the 'net with the "mission to protect" us. So we all either do some little things now or later we "enjoy" the features & benefits of Government "help and Protection"!

These are websites providing information and tools to effectively "complain" and where to appropriately file your report of Spam or Abuse:

Scams.com has Information and Links to URL's for more Info http://www.scams.com/

Spam.Abuse.net start on their homepage. Links to addresses where to Report SPAM http://spam.abuse.net/

Abuse.net - LOOKUP - To Report ABUSEhttp://abuse.net/lookup.phtml

Now you have the knowledge and the tools to actually "do something" that counts. If we all did "something" (effectively) about this once or twice weekly, for as little as fifteen minutes, the various e-mail service providers would work harder to "fix it". If for no other reason than to make us quit FLOODING them with "real" complaints and reports.

In truth, many current reports do NOT provide the information required for a provider to easily and accurately respond. Don't waste your time wasting their time. Learn to COMPLAIN!

try this http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2006/11/get-livecom-mail-address.html

by default i get windows live + hotmanil all .combut after doing that i got many others domains all live.*and i cant procced to sign upthen i just forgot how i came back to sign up button then i found hotmail + live.com:) try that out

No, you're not lucky. People are stupid and give out their email addresses to any site that asks for it and then bitch and piss and moan about all the spam they get. Nearly every single message I've ever gotten that was identified as spam by my mail server which showed an @live.com account, like nearly every other spam message, was using a spoofed address for reply-to. Mail from xyz@live.com sent from mailserver mail.spammeridiot.net or something. Google are a bunch of data mining creeps and people need to wake the fuck up and realize this fact. Microsoft may be "evil" and anticompetitive, but they're a business with real products and not a data mining front like google, who have no real products to point to as justification for their earnings.

I went to sign up for a "hotmail" account, but saw that it is "live.com"? Now, I can't find how to locate/sign in from a computer other than my "home" computer??? How do find it on the net to log in? Thanks in advance...

Spam/scams will never go away. They just move on to other email services as needed. Greg Kofi, Mary Kaka, Ben Ofer are actually funnyif only for the OBVIOUS fake names. Lately they have been using sify.com and changing their address regularly just by adding 1,2,3 etc. to the name. Sify.com is an Indian site actually affiliated withGoogle. I've just recently begun seeing scam spam using Live.com addresses.

I think that anyone using the Internet for what ever purpose, should realize that what ever you put ot there is available to everyone on the net. There are a multitude of ways your information can be compromised and sometime it doesn't matter how you try to protect yourself someone can access your info. Quit blaming everyone for your problems. If you did not put it out there the no one would have know it

I have a 'live.ca' email address, in addition I want an '@hotmail.com' address. But it won't let me open a new acct under hotmail. I kind of thought I was successful, but I'm not getting mail addressed '@hotmail.com. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Thank you for reporting abuse to the Windows Live Hotmail Support Team. This is an auto-generated response to inform you that we have received your submission. Please note that you will not receive a reply if you respond directly to this message.

Windows Live Hotmail takes abusive e-mails very seriously. A Support Representative will review your report and will take appropriate actions.

If you are reporting Unsolicited Commercial E-Mail (also known as Spam or Junk E-Mail), please resubmit your report to:

report_spam@live.com,

report_spam@hotmail.com or

report_spam@msn.com

depending on the spammer’s domain. Appropriate actions will be taken.

abuse@live.com, abuse@hotmail.com and abuse@msn.com do NOT process spam reports. These accounts only process abusive e-mails in, but not limited, to the following categories:

• Child exploitation/pornography threats• Harassment • Impersonation of an institution or trademark (like a bank or government agency or charity) also known as Phishing • Issues relating to account credentials being compromised (hacked)

If you suspect a crime is being committed, report it directly to your local police authorities.

If you need information about how to configure and take more advantage of your Hotmail Junk E-Mail Filters, please visit the following website:

There is no way to track a person down using this generic live.com address. I thought gtaxi42@live.com was ligit. Needless to say he stole my $10,000 ring from me and never paid !! What a loser !! Stay away !!

Do not listen to the above bad advice. I work for a major email ISP, and if you "reply 50 times" your own account will be shut down for abuse. Your email contract (if you paid for one...) does not allow using OUR systems to attack ANYONE including other servers.

... and if you think 50 replies would fill a mailbox, you're either stuck on Netscape or AOL email or you still live in 1997. Both Gmail and live.com offer GIGABYTES for an inbox. Please speak responsibly and think before posting.

i'm trying to get a second live.com account but it will only let me see hotmail.com or live.ca why won't it let me choose .com for live? I live in Vancouver (but was in Montreal 4 months ago when i set up the computer).

i have been trying to send emails to people with @live addresses and they wont go through. they bounce back with an error msg saying Hotmail wont allow it?? i have tried to send emails from both my home and work email address.. and both reject @live..i cant even search a @live email on skype! so im guessing @live is just a waste of time for people.

I have been using my live.co.uk e-mail address for quite a while and its been OK but, just lately, every time I try to reply to an e-mail or forward something, or even just send a new e-mail, everything just freezes and I get the message `live.com is not responding` . Has anyone got an answer to the problem, and plese don`t answer me in `technical initials`. I am very ancient and probably wouldn`t understand what you are talking about. Thanks, if there is any help out there.

Ok I can't get into my @live.com account Iv'e tried everything I HATE HOTMAIL AND YAHOO ACCOUNT G-Mail I have had my E-Mail for a very long time and now I have noway to accesss it please help I am so lost without my E-MAIL Please tell me if anyone else has this problem Signed Confused

Hi. I've had problems, too. The way I solved it was to REMOVE windows live essentials. I think the it is the MESSENGER program that messes things up. It would be cool if you would repost to let me know if this worked for you. For w while I thought it had to with the version of windows but now i do noth think so, As I mentioned i think there must be something wrong with Messenger and so from the CONTROL PANEL take out the Windows Live Essentials apps. Good luck!

Hi. I've had problems, too. The way I solved it was to REMOVE windows live essentials. I think the it is the MESSENGER program that messes things up. It would be cool if you would repost to let me know if this worked for you. For w while I thought it had to with the version of windows but now i do noth think so, As I mentioned i think there must be something wrong with Messenger and so from the CONTROL PANEL take out the Windows Live Essentials apps. Good luck!

Please let me know how to make a (yournamehere)@live.com email address as my old one got deleted and i need to make a new one know but the new email address option only gives me a @hotmail.com address only. Need to get my old renewed account please.